Been too busy with my regular Monday duties for a full MoCCA Festival wrap-up — look for more photos and observations tomorrow, but in the meantime, as usual, it was a fun-filled festival of comics and camaraderie. All of the many social events were great; the turnout at Saturday’s Strange Tales/Beat/CBLDF fundraiser party was fantastic and we kept hearing all about what a great time everyone had. The same night there was a Comics Journal party at an LES bar which was also off the hook with great cartoonists, conversation, dancing and carrying on.
As for the show itself, the crowd was perhaps a bit lighter than last year and the Law Of The Show came down from the mountain again: people with lots of great new books like D&Q and Fantagraphics did great. People without a lot of new material didn’t do as well. More in the full report.
Above is a picture of five of the Pizza Island cartoonists, who were certainly front and center of the show. Maybe it’s the idea of six lady cartoonists sharing a studio together…or maybe it’s just the idea of six SUPER TALENTED cartoonists sharing a studio together, but they were definitely one of the big deals. One Pizza Islander, Kate Beaton, participated in the packedCross Hatch Carousel on Saturday, which also included Michael Kupperman, Lisa Hanawalt, Jeffrey Lewis, Ted Stearn, host R. Sikoryak and special guest voices Julie Klausner, and Jackson Public and a fellow named Adam. This was certainly the funniest Carousel I’ve ever been too — during Beaton’s presentation I couldn’t stop laughing, and Publick and Klausner’s stylings on Sikoryak’s “Blonde Eve” were spot on.
As for comics…the new offerings like Jim Woodring’s CONGRESS OF THE ANIMALS, Chester Brown’s PAYING FOR IT, and the work of the three D&Q cartoonists — Brecht Evens, Joe Ollman and Pascal Girrard — were the life of the party.
Speaking of parties, several cartoonists had mild run-ins with the law at this show, forging new bad boy legends. What did they do and how did they do it? More in tomorrow’s full report. Until then…THANKS TO EVERYONE who made this a great weekend.
Two Pizza Islanders on Carousel–Kate and Lisa!
Wish I had gotten out from behind my own booth a bit more. Guess I can’t complain, since it was the fairly steady stream of folks interested in our book that kept me from leaving. Would have liked to have gotten a look at what everyone else had brought to the show, though.
Great meeting you Heidi!
the mocca volunteers kicked butt as usual–what a fantastic show! thanks for all the many, many folks that came by and bought yoe books and all the high compliments on our line that were humbly received!
I was so busy that I personally bought no books, but wife Judie more than made up for it. I had an amazing time, doing my first convention in 9 years — saw so many old friends; so many hugs and laughs, I’m still smiling. I feel so fortunate to be able to make comics and be part of something so special. Got to share a table with my old pal Jon B. Cooke who is relaunching Comic Book Artist, and his brother Andy Cooke, director of the Will Eisner: A Sequential Artist. Why can’t we do a MoCCA Fest every week?!
And Craig Yoe is right — those volunteers put in so many hours so we could have a totally fun indie event, like nothing else on the planet — we owe them a debt of gratitude. Oliver Baer, Brian Heater, Jack Walsh, Grace Liori, and everyone else who gave so much of their time. Mell Scalzi and Doug Bratton who run the museum and put their heart into MoCCA Fest.
And of course Ellen Abramowitz, who’s is up until 2:00 AM most nights (check the time on those emails) to make MoCCA better every month with films and, book signings, and gallery shows, and all the fun things at the museum and the festival. And a special thanks to Dennis Kitchen and Danny Fingeroth for curating such great shows, and Danny’s excellent selection of classes (I took a great animation story boarding class). And if I left anyone out, I’m sorry. We are so fortunate to have MoCCA in New York, and equally fortunate for those who make it all possible, including Craig Yoe.
thanks for going into excellent detail, i’m in 100% agreement about every person you mentioned–especially ellen–and every single mocca volunteer. and, of course, the great value of mocca which deserves the comic community’s full support. and thanks cliff for the nod for me. all this love!–we should all get a room!
Sounds like a MoCCA ’11 good time was had by all.
Can’t help but have Darryl Ayo’s observation about the festivities ring out over the sounds of the back-slappings, though…
Yay, Team Comix?